An Exposing the ELCA reader sent me this news item. In 2006, The Lutheran, a publication of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, wrote a “favorable” review of the movie “Brokeback Mountain,” an R-rated movie about two homosexual cowboys.

The full review is only available to subscribers of The Lutheran, but its editor, Daniel J Lehmann talks about it here. The magazine does allow non-subscribers to read the first two paragraphs of the article and it is here we read “(w)e encourage you to see the fine movies described here.” (see here)

There were a number of Lutherans who did not appreciate The Lutheran recommending this movie. One person wrote saying, “I was disappointed with some of the movie choices recommended in the March issue of The Lutheran. . .In my opinion sexually explicit movies, whether heterosexual or homosexual, aren’t the type of movies we need to recommend to others.” Another wrote, “I’m appalled that you included Brokeback Mountain in your review of movies. This movie is just another way of desensitizing the public to homosexuality . . . I hope a church magazine would promote wholesome family movies.” (read here)

Shellfish, a ELCA-focused blog said this, “Let's see, high praise for a movie that praises adultery and the break-up of two families while two ‘I'm not queer, no me either’ guys ‘find themselves.’ Makes perfect sense for a church magazine, that is, if you are a denomination that has seriously lost everything that is holy . . . ” (read here)

How sad that a supposed Christian denominational magazine encourages young and old alike to go to R-rated movies which glorify homosexuality. Note that this review article was written in 2006, before the ELCA overruled God and “unsinned” homosexual relations in 2009.

The Bethany College men’s golf team got itself in hot water recently when they posed naked for an unofficial team picture. (see this article - Bethany suspends golfers after racy picture - warning, picture is posted with article)

The story out of Bethany College (ELCA) has been picked up by newspapers, websites, television stations and radio programs from around the nation. (see here)

Rev. Dr. S. John Roth is currently the pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, IL. In June of 2011, Rev. Roth was elected to be the next Bishop of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

In the most recent publication of Rev. Roth’s church’s newsletter, there was an article that had an interesting prayer in it. Here is the first section of the prayer:

“Eternal Spirit,Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,Source of all that is and that shall be,Father and Mother of us all,Loving God, in whom is heaven: . . .” (see here)

The notion of “Mother” God continues to permeate the lexicon of ELCA leadership, and this is another example of it, coming from a church under the leadership of the next Central/Southern Illinois Synod Bishop.

The 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is now over. No doubt reports will be coming out about the happenings. Here is the ELCA’s summery of what took place (click here)

A few items which I find interesting:- An Islamic leader spoke to the assembly and received three standing ovations.- The assembly passed a resolution which calls for congregations to protest against immigration laws like those in Arizona and Alabama. (read here) - Veiled comments were spoken and a memorial was approved which is founded in anti-Semitism.- The genetics social statement was adopted.- My understanding is that the assembly did vote in regards to proposed changes for congregations who want to leave the ELCA, it may have been brought forward in conjunction with other motions which I have not yet uncovered. - Many words were spoken which professed overwhelming pride for and the greatness of the ELCA.

So in honor of the self-promoting and self-love which was so evident at the 2011 Churchwide Assembly, I give to you a video made at an ELCA National Youth Gathering:

It is not always easy doing what is right and standing up for Christ and God’s Word. I have been called names you wouldn’t expect “Christians” to call another person. I have been accused of being hateful. I have been threatened by an ELCA seminary professor saying he would make sure I never received a Masters of Divinity degree. Just this week, I was banned from the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau forum (ALPB) after merely posting two links which provide information regarding the actions of the ELCA concerning the abortion issue (on a posted thread entitled "Abortion and the Church.")

The Bible tells us “(t)hat is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:10

So for Christ’s sake I gladly take the scorn and anger. ELCA supporters can say whatever they would like about this ministry and my work. People are at risk of eternity in hell because of the false teachings of the ELCA. God has called me to this ministry, to shine light on what ELCA leadership believes. That is what I will do. In the words of Horatio G. Spafford, “It is well with my soul.”

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We have seen ELCA leadership attempt to eliminate masculine pronouns when referring to God (see here, here and here).This is confirmed again in a written conversation between three ELCA seminarians:

Person One - posts that he - "(i)s unsure if Wartburg's conversion of me toward a posture of inclusive language about God is a blessing or a curse as I learn songs for VBS!!! I cringe every 4 seconds as I hear masculine pronouns!"

Person Two - "I do the same thing here during bible studies!!!"

Person Three - "YOU TOO!!!!! It's driving me NUTS! Hahahaha...funny thing is I NEVER thought it would."(Person One is referring to Wartburg Theological Seminary when he says "Wartburg.")

It is interesting how removing masculine pronouns for God is called "inclusive."

I ran across an article recently which told a story of a United Methodist Church in a nearby city that had lesbians play Mary and Joseph in a church nativity. I thought this was information more people should know about so I passed the story on to a well known internet news website, WorldNetDaily. They responded within half a day, decided to write an article on it and asked me for some quotes. Here is the article.

Lutheran Woman Today, a publication of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, published an article in their June 2011 magazine called “Holden Together.” In the article we are told about a retreat and Bible study where ELCA pastor, Matt Larson, taught on Genesis 1, 2 and 3. The pastor did not teach the traditional historical understanding that Moses wrote these chapters, instead it was “Yahwists” and priests. The take-away message of this Bible study on creation and Adam and Eve was, “(j)ust because it’s not real doesn’t mean it’s not true.” (link to the article)

The article earlier stated, “(w)hen asked to describe the creation story, members of our group offered similar words: allegory, symbolic, myth, parable.”

Here is an ELCA affiliated magazine promoting the denial of the words of the Bible and make no mistake, it is also teaching their readers that they can not trust that what the Bible says is true.

In the same article about the retreat, a Methodist preacher spoke to the group, the author tells us “he excoriated America for ‘raining down fire’ on the Middle East and called for forgiveness and reconciliation in our foreign relations.”

This is so typical, many leaders in the ELCA and the mainline denominations that it is full communion with, blame America, hate on Jews and deny Scripture.